Between now and the New Year, local traffic enforcement agencies say they will increase their traffic patrols to crack down on drunk driving.

According to Sgt. Bruce Watlington of the Thousand Oaks Police Department (TOPD), the holiday season brings a number of holiday parties, which often lead to drunk driving.

TOPD officers will seek out intoxicated drivers during the holidays.

“Really, what it comes down to is that this is more of an awareness to our officers,” Watlington said. “We really haven’t shifted anything else around as far as schedules go.”

The Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department will conduct several DUI (Driving Under the Influence) checkpoints between now and the New Year, according to Detective Richard Curry. The times, dates and locations of those checkpoints weren’t available for publishing, he said.

The California Highway Patrol will increase patrols between Dec. 16 and Jan. 2 and conduct several DUI checkpoints at various times and locations around the same time, according to John Mueller of the CHP. The CHP usually has about 50 to 60 percent of its officers on duty on any given day, officials said, but will deploy maximum enforcement— 80 percent of its patrols—on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.